Maccabi Tel Aviv captain, Sheran Yeini, held a press conference where he spoke about his anticipated move to the Netherlands and looked back at his time at the club
“I am happy I had the opportunity to stay and to go through an amazing season with my friends. Winning trophies gives me great pleasure, but I don’t think that we won enough in my ten years here. I hope that this team will continue to win more trophies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFsoG7V1tDo
There were a few personal reasons for not leaving earlier, but now I feel that it is a good time to move on. I haven’t imagined yet my last day here. I am sure that we’ll have an enjoyable evening with the players”.
Yeini spoke about his development as a player and as captain at the club:
“I developed late. I went through a learning and development process in my career. At first I thought I knew everything and I ended up seeing the gaps between the way I see myself and the way others see me. My wife helped me understand a few things about myself and we worked to improve them. I feel that I am more valued now at the club and that I improved as a player because of the work I’ve done.
As a captain, I developed during the unsuccessful years here. Over the years I picked up on things that were not good for the team, spoke to the foreign players and gathered a lot of information on how to do things better for the club. It helped me when I captained for Moti Ivanir and Oscar Garcia. The team right now has a good foundation. The dominant and veteran players help out their teammates and act as role models. I am confident that the next captain will continue in the same way”.
On the things he learned this season
“I learned a lot from Pako Ayestaran. Working with him improved my thought process and my risk analysis skills. The club as a whole is very stable today. Mitch, Jordi, Martin, and Jack are all terrific people. I have a great relationship with them and we share the vision that the club should always be one step ahead of the rest”.
On Vitesse’s interest
“Their scouts first saw me last year against Kiryat Shmona, when we won the league. They liked my performance and my interaction with the crowd and kept in touch with my agents Gilad and Ronen Katzav. They did a very thorough job scouting me and it gave me a lot of confidence. I also met with the coach when I visited Arnhem and learned about his football vision.
It is hard to decide to leave when you are happy. My drive to challenge myself and prove that I am good enough to play in Europe helped me decide to make the move. I wanted to find out if I can adapt to a new culture and to a new type of football.
I know that they are planning to use me as a defensive midfielder but I’ll play anywhere they need me to”.
On the new challenge
“Part of the challenge is to find out if I can make it there. I have no problem working hard. It will take time but I am up to the task. I’m looking forward to being an ambassador of Israel and of Israeli football. It is important to show that Israeli footballers can be hard working and intelligent”.
On the transformation in Maccabi Tel Aviv in recent years
“The thing that makes it different is professionalism. The GPS trackers, for example, were brought in by people who are professionals in the field and know how to train us and to structure our sessions. We are aware that there are building blocks to progress.
Another ingredient was working less with the media. We appreciated the journalists’ work and opinions, but I have my coach and teammates’ opinions and that is enough”.
On the club’s turning point
“It happened when Mitch arrived and wanted the club to express its Israeli and Jewish identity. He was with us in every moment during the first year. I remember negotiating my contract with him while playing basketball with each other. He is building an empire here and he does it by bringing the right personnel and allowing them to work”.
On almost leaving Maccabi
“When I arrived to the U-19s team I found out that the coach didn’t want me in the squad. After a little while he called back and told me to come to training and prove my place. I later found out that Benny Tabak had a say and influenced the decision to bring me back.
Another story is when I tore my ligament and despite that Loni Herzikovich gave me a five-year contract before the surgery. There were many nice gestures during the years. The relationship between Maccabi and me developed over the years.
On the decision to leave
“Deciding to stay could have been worthwhile for many reasons. I ended up meeting Martin and Jordi and told them that I don’t want them to convince me to stay because I wanted to challenge myself. Martin told me to go to Vitesse to check them out personally before I decide. I don’t think that another club would give a player such an opportunity”.
On the relationship with the fans
“I have a really good relationship with them. There is always criticism but I do my work quietly. We built a dynamic where there is an open line of communication between the fans and me. At the championship game Eran Zahavi and I felt that the energy at the stadium was a little low, so we texted some fans and they were able to energize the rest of the stadium and the team. Our fans amazed me on two particular occasions: the first, when they sang to me on my birthday in Jerusalem. The second time was when a few individuals cursed Maharan Radi and all the fans silenced them”.
On the desire to play at all cost
“I think that everybody needs to take advantage of any opportunity to play. I always fear of losing my place if I stop working. I don’t want to give anyone a chance to take my spot. Yuval Shpungin, who is a very close friend, was the reason I pushed myself to the limit this season. He gives everything in every training session, which gives me a reason to work even harder.
I am leaving because I want to challenge and test myself in another setting. When I return to Israel it will be only for Maccabi Tel Aviv”.
On the national team
“The national team is very important to the Israeli people. It will be fantastic to qualify. It won’t be easy. Our group is not as easy as we originally thought. The fight will continue until the last moment”.
